The present invention relates generally to a door assembly for a cabinet. More specifically, the invention is directed to a cabinet having first and second door members operatively connected to a hinge assembly that guides the door members during movement between closed and open positions.
Cabinets having doors are known in the art. An example of a known cabinet includes two doors that are mounted by hinges on spaced side walls of the cabinet. The doors are moveable between closed positions and open positions. It has been found that the doors of these prior art cabinets can be bulky and unwieldy especially when they are large because they extend continuously from the side walls to the edges of the doors.
In response to the above-identified problem with continuous cabinet doors, doors having two sections were developed. These types doors are commonly referred to as "folding doors". In this type of door, the door sections are joined by hinges to provide pivotal movement with respect to one another. One of the door sections is in turn mounted on a side wall of the cabinet by hinges. This mounting arrangement allows the two door sections to fold upon themselves as the door is being opened. However, there has been a problem with this type of door because the individual sections are not guided or controlled during and after opening. Instead, these types of doors are free to move about the cabinet. This can result in the door sections contacting persons, furniture, or other items in the vicinity of the cabinet to which the doors are attached. It has also been found that the free movement of the door section can result in undesired noise during opening and closing of the doors as the doors strike the cabinet.
In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that there is a need for a door assembly for a cabinet that provides for the guided and controlled movement of individual door section during opening and closing. The resent invention satisfies this need.